PURPOSE: To report optical coherence tomography (OCT) findings in albinism. METHODS: Full ocular examinations, including OCT, were performed in one patient with ocular albinism and two patients with oculocutaneous albinism. RESULTS: OCT scans were unable to detect the foveal depression in these patients. A widespread thickening of the retina occurred throughout the entire fovea, which showed no difference from the surrounding macula. OCT scans also demonstrated probable scleral layer below the retinal pigment epithelial (RPE) layer. CONCLUSIONS: OCT scans of albinism patients confirmed foveal hypoplasia and increased transmission of incident light in the RPE layer.
Albinism* ; Albinism, Ocular ; Albinism, Oculocutaneous ; Depression ; Humans ; Retina ; Retinaldehyde ; Tomography, Optical Coherence*

OBJECTIVETo identify the mutations of the tyrosinase gene (TYR) and P gene in patients with oculocutaneous albinism (OCA).

METHODSPolymerase chain reaction (PCR) and denaturing high performance liquid chromatography (DHPLC) were applied to detect the mutations in all exons of TYR gene and P gene. Then DNA sequencing and restriction endonuclease analysis were used to confirm the mutations detected by DHPLC. Novel mutations were screened in 100 unrelated persons with normal phenotypes to exclude the possibility of polymorphism.

RESULTSTwo mutations were detected in the P gene of the three patients and none in TYR gene. Heterozygous mutation of T450M in exon 13 of the P gene was detected in patient 1. Patient 2 had a heterozygous mutation of T450M in exon 13 and a heterozygous mutation of G775R in exon 23 of the P gene. Patient 3 had a heterozygous mutation of G775R as well. Restriction endonuclease analysis of the P gene exon 13 showed that the Oli I site had partly disappeared resulting from the heterozygous mutation T450M in patient 1 and patient 2, but not in 100 unrelated individuals. The heterozygous mutation T450M is a novel mutation.

CONCLUSIONGene diagnosis of OCA can be carried out effectively by combining PCR, DHPLC, DNA sequencing and restriction endonuclease analysis.

Albinism, Oculocutaneous ; genetics ; Base Sequence ; Catechol Oxidase ; genetics ; Child, Preschool ; DNA Mutational Analysis ; Exons ; genetics ; Female ; Hermanski-Pudlak Syndrome ; genetics ; Humans ; Monophenol Monooxygenase ; genetics ; Mutation ; Young Adult

Albinism is an inherited ongenital disarder in which there is sgr neralized decrease or absence of pigrnent in the eyes, skin, and hair. There are two general groups (1) Oculocutneou albinism, (2) Ocular albinism. Skin cancers in albinos are rare in ternperate clirnats and t.hey occur rnostly on sun ex posed areas. We present a case of recurrance of squarnous cell carcinoma ir a Korean albinoid on both sides of the neck and right ear. On liistopathologic examination, we find I or pearls, and irregular mases of epidermal cells that proliferite downward into the devmis. The invaing cell masses are composed of atypical squamous cells.
Albinism ; Albinism, Ocular ; Carcinoma, Squamous Cell* ; Ear ; Hair ; Neck ; Skin ; Skin Neoplasms ; Solar System

PURPOSE: To estimate the baseline demographic/ocular characteristics and associated findings of patients with foveal hypoplasia. METHODS: The medical records of 42 patients (84 eyes) who were clinically diagnosed with foveal hypoplasia were retrospectively reviewed. RESULTS: There were 28 males and 14 females with mode age at diagnosis of 1 (range, 0-60 years) year and a mean follow-up period of 9.7 +/- 5.4 years. At the first office visit, the most common complaints were ocular oscillation and face turn. There were 75 eyes (91.5%) with best corrected visual acuity worse than 0.3 at the first visit, but that number decreased to 55 eyes (67.1%) at the last follow-up (age range, 7-60 years). The absolute spherical equivalent of refractive errors was 2.89 +/- 2.96 diopters (D), and 71 eyes had astigmatism with a mean astigmatism of 2.1 +/- 1.1 D. Forty-two patients had associated diseases: 15 (35.7%) with aniridia, 16 (38.1%) with ocular albinism and 11 (26.2%) with oculocutaneous albinism. In addition, strabismus was found in 24 patients (57.1%). CONCLUSIONS: Diseases associated with foveal hypoplasia include aniridia, ocular albinism and oculocutaneous albinism. Since foveal hypoplasia is often associated with high refractive errors and poor vision, an early prescription of eyeglasses is mandatory for management of refractive amblyopia to ensure the development of the best corrected visual acuity.
Albinism, Ocular ; Albinism, Oculocutaneous ; Amblyopia ; Aniridia ; Astigmatism ; Dietary Sucrose ; Eye ; Eyeglasses ; Female ; Follow-Up Studies ; Humans ; Male ; Medical Records ; Office Visits ; Prescriptions ; Refractive Errors ; Retrospective Studies ; Strabismus ; Vision, Ocular ; Visual Acuity

Chediak-Higashi syndrome is a rare autosomal recessive disease characterized by partial oculocutaneous albinism, photophobia, nystagmus, immunodeficiency with increased susceptibility to bacterial and viral infection. We experienced a 2-year old boy who presents photophobia, hypopigmentation of retinal pigment epithelium, partial cutaneous albinism, systemic findings including recurrent fever and respiratory infection, hepatosplenomegaly and pathognomic giant cytoplasmic granules in peripheral blood cells and bone marrow, and diagnosed it as a Chediak-Higashi syndrome. We present our experience of Chediak-Higashi syndrome with brief review of the literatures related to it.
Albinism, Oculocutaneous ; Blood Cells ; Bone Marrow ; Chediak-Higashi Syndrome* ; Child, Preschool ; Cytoplasmic Granules ; Fever ; Humans ; Hypopigmentation ; Male ; Photophobia ; Piebaldism ; Retinal Pigment Epithelium

OBJECTIVE: To assess the value of non-invasive prenatal testing based on cfDNA barcode-enabled single-molecule test (cfBEST) for the prenatal diagnosis of oculocutaneous albinism type I in a family. METHODS: Prenatal genetic diagnosis was carried out by using the cfBEST-based method as well as invasive prenatal diagnosis through amniocentesis. The outcome of the pregnancy was followed up. RESULTS: Non-invasive prenatal testing based on cfBEST showed a fetal DNA concentration of 6.6%, with the proportion of c.929_930insC (p.Arg311Lysfs*7) and c.1037-7T>A mutations being 45.7% and 0%, respectively. The posterior frequency of the negative results was 1, suggesting that the fetus carried neither of the two mutations. The result was consistent with that of invasive prenatal diagnosis, and the follow-up found that the fetus was normal. CONCLUSION Non-invasive prenatal testing based on cfBEST can be used to detect maternal and fetal genotypes in maternal cell-free DNA, which is clinically feasible.
Albinism ; Albinism, Oculocutaneous/genetics* ; Amniocentesis ; Cell-Free Nucleic Acids ; Female ; Humans ; Pregnancy ; Prenatal Diagnosis

Oculocutaneous Albinism (OCA) is a heterogenous autosomal recessive disorder characterized by defective melanin biosynthesis. Physical findings including white scalp hair and depigmented skin of whole body in newborn infants are important clinical features of OCA 1. We report a newborn case of OCA 1 with two different TYR mutations, and gene defects of the baby revealed to be originated from both parents carriers of OCA.
Albinism, Oculocutaneous* ; Hair ; Humans ; Infant, Newborn* ; Melanins ; Parents ; Scalp ; Skin

Mycosis fungoides presenting with hypopigmented lesions is an uncommon variant, which is usually described among dark-skinned patients. We report a case of hypopigmented mycosis fungoides in an eight-year-old girl who has responded favorably to narrowband-ultraviolet B therapy. The disease mimics several benign inflammatory skin conditions, hence, a high clinical suspicion is warranted in patients presenting with widespread hypopigmentation.

Human ; Female ; Child ; Albinism, Oculocutaneous ; Hypopigmentation ; Mycosis Fungoides ; Skin ; Lymphoma

OBJECTIVE: To analyze gene variants in a Chinese pedigree with oculocutaneous albinism (OCA). METHODS: Gene sequencing of the proband and his parents was performed using chip capture high-throughput sequencing and Sanger sequencing techniques, and PolyPhen-2, SIFT, MutationTaster, and FATHMM software were used to predict the function of new variants. At the same time,the pedigree and variant genes of 4 albinism patients from this pedigree were analyzed. RESULTS: Sequencing results showed that the proband's TYR gene (NM_000372) has c.230G>A (p.Arg77Gln) and c.120_121insG (p.Asp42GlyfsTer35) compound heterozygous variants. The proband's father carries c.230G>A heterozygous variant, and the mother carries c.120_121insG heterozygous variant, indicating that the proband's two variants are from his father and mother. The former is a known missense variant, which can cause abnormal or loss of the original function of the protein polypeptide chain. The latter c.120_121insG(p.Asp42GlyfsTer35) is an unreported frameshift variant of the TYR gene subregion (EX1; CDS1). PolyPhen-2, SIFT, MutationTaster and FATHMM predictions are all prompted as "harmful variants". This variant caused the amino acid encoded protein to terminate prematurely, producing a truncated protein, which eventually formed a 76-amino acid short-type TYR protein instead of the 529-amino acid wild-type TYR protein. Through the pedigree analysis, the four patients in the pedigree are all of the same type of compound heterozygous variants, and the disease-causing genes are all from the patient's parents. They belong to a special form of consanguineous marriage within 5 generations. CONCLUSION The compound heterozygous variants of c.230G>A (p.Arg77Gln) and c.120_121insG (p.Asp42GlyfsTer35) of the TYR gene may underlie the disease in this pedigree. The gene sequencing results enrich the variant spectrum of the TYR gene, and has facilitated molecular diagnosis for the patient.
Albinism, Oculocutaneous/genetics* ; Consanguinity ; Heterozygote ; Humans ; Mutation ; Pedigree

Albinism is a hereditary disease caused by the defect of tyrosinase that converts tyrosine to dihydroxyphenylalanine (DOPA). `Oculocutaneous albinism' is classified as hypopigmentation of skin, hair and eyes, but incidences of `ocular albinism' where hypopigmentation is limited to eyes are found rarely. Biochemically, albinism is caused by the tyrosinase activity. Typical findings in oculocutaneous albinism include not only ophthalmologic problems such as hypopigmentation of skin, foveal hypoplasia, photophobia and decreased visual acuity but also congenital nystagmus. We cannot determine distinctive characteristics of nystagmus of albinism because domestically, there are only a few reports that have been recorded correctly about nystagmus of albinism. Merely, we present our experience of two cases of albinism with congenital nystagmus because we think that these two cases, showing different types of nystagmus and electronystagmography, stand for the two representative types of nystagmus found in the literature up to date.
Albinism ; Albinism, Oculocutaneous* ; Dihydroxyphenylalanine ; Electronystagmography ; Genetic Diseases, Inborn ; Hair ; Hypopigmentation ; Incidence ; Monophenol Monooxygenase ; Nystagmus, Congenital* ; Photophobia ; Skin ; Tyrosine ; Visual Acuity